Dear Daphne and Cyprus,

I sit here in the final hours of 2009 looking back at all that we have done over the year.  I get a chance to sit down and write about our accomplishments in the letter I send out at Christmas, but the beginning of a New Year seems to be the time to close out the old and make some fresh, new starts.

I can say with sincerity that 2009 has been one of the most difficult, yet most rewarding years of my life.  I have had so many incredible adventures in my life, each one adding to who I am as a person, but none of them  have been more rewarding, more challenging and more fun than the adventures I have been through with you two.

Daphne, it has been such a pleasure this year  to see your babbling turn into words, your words turn into sentences and your sentences turn into imagination.  I can step out of the room now and when I return you have transformed the room into your own new world.  You play dolls, read books and even take the time to entertain your brother.  I am watching even when you do not think that I am, and most of the time, I am smiling or laughing to myself about the games you play.  I feel so honored to be able to share your life with you.  I know that it is difficult being 2 years old.  You are trying to explore the world, yet you don’t totally understand it.  I am here to guide you.  Though I am not always the best guide, I can say that I at least kept you near the path these past 12 months.  I hope to hand the guidebook to you in the coming months and see where you can take me.

Cyprus, you have given so much to me this year.  People called me crazy for wanting to go through the hell that pregnancy is to me.  No one seemed to understand but you.  You kept me company, and from the moment you entered my life, I KNEW it was all worth it.  You give me strength in ways that I never knew were possible.  Thank you so much for bearing with me through our difficult pregnancy.  Most importantly, thank you for taking the journey to VBAC with me.  The 6 hour labor we experienced together was one of the most strengthening experiences of my life.  I walk with greater confidence because I traveled through great adversity with your help.

Additionally, Cyprus, the sweet sincerity you bring to my life every moment brings me joy.  When I am tired or hungry or overwhelmed, I just have to lay you down to change your diaper and the smiles and giggles you give me turn it all around.  Your desire and ability to communicate has shown me just how powerful the beings in this world are.  Your communications are so crisp and so clear that I have never doubted how godlike you really are in that tiny, perfect body.  Thank you for teaching me that and for letting me walk among the gods.

You two bring me pleasure in more ways than I can count.  When the rest of the world is out worrying about taxes and car insurance, cleaning gutters and commuting, I am sitting on the living room floor with you pretending to drive a car or grocery shop.  You keep me young and remind me every day that I have so much to live for.  You have also taught me that the spirit of life is easily found in the laughter of children and that one need not look far to find it.

I am here to help you find your way in the world, but I never imagined that you would help me find my own way.  Happy New Year to both of you, I look forward to our adventures in 2010.

Mama

On Thanksgiving day, my sister went out and saddled up the pony for some riding time.  Of course, Daphne really wanted to head out for some fun.  These photos were stuck on my mini until I ran into them the other day.  I completely forgot that Cyprus ALSO went for HIS first ride that day!

He is a natural rider.

Isn’t Daphne doing an awesome job leading Rosita for Cyprus?

Daphne was a little shy this time about riding, but she really wanted to help walk Rosita around. Lucky for her, Rosita is pretty mellow and obliged.

Daphne finally warmed up to jumping on for a quick ride.

We even manged to get both kids on the pony at the same time!

Cyprus just crossed the 6 month mark.  It would be cliche for me to say that the time has flown by, but cliches are cliches for a reason.

I have enjoyed every minute of having Cyprus in my life, and I really can’t imagine what my life was like before him.  Taking care of small babies really seems to be my forte.  I love when he sleeps on me.  I love how he looks over the top of the carrier at what I am doing.  I love how he gets warm and sweaty in bed next to me at night.  I love how he smiles and giggles and laughs.  I see more and more of his personality coming out, and I know that I have some fun times ahead of me.

When I a nice enough to share Cyprus with his daddy, I get to see how cute he is and I want him back.  Look at my two men chilling together.  Cyprus is zonked out while daddy reads a book.

I tell you that I will never get tired of posting photos of sleeping babies.

Cyprus developed a penchant for paper over the past month.  Daphne did this at about this age as well.  Anytime he can get his hands on paper, he tries to eat it.  He will eat the mail or books or anything that he can get his hands on.  I think it is really kind of fun to watch him enjoy it so much–even if it is kind of odd.  Here he is eating the health insurance bill.

Cyprus has been teething big time lately.  He has been chewing on everything he possibly can.  He has been chewing hard vegetables, teething rings and the pedal to Daphne’s new bike. He turned 6 months on December 30th, and celebrated by staying up all night and cutting his first tooth!  I can see that he has a second tooth not too far behind. He is on the way to eating solid foods.

December has been kind of a crazy month for us around here.  As is traditional, we went to my sister’s house for Thanksigiving.  The feast was amazing, and we made it back just in time for December to start.  Everyone was sick and not feeling well for a while after we got back, so we had a pretty low-key start.  One very notable thing that I have not mentioned before was the fact that Jared and I celebrated our 6 year wedding anniversary on the 4th.  We spent it taking care of sick kids and our sick selves.

The holidays were a little crazy for us.  We celebrated by doing as much as we could to keep the season bright as the days got more dark.

I finally learned how to make shortbread.  Daphne helped me make a batch that she took to Iron Chef night and it was fabulous.

We had a little get together on the solstice.  It was not meant to be a party, but we had dinner with some good friends and watched the movie “Earth”.  It was fun to be in such good company. Daphne became quite the expert cookie maker.  She helped Rebecca make cookies during dinner.

Papa Bob came up the weekend before Christmas and brought Christmas for both of the kids.  It was a huge hit.  Cyprus had fun trying to eat the paper off his gifts.

Daphne also had fun opening her gifts.

Papa Bob loved coming up to visit the kids.  He is such an awesome Papa for our kids.

On Christmas Eve we went out to Jared’s mom’s house.  I cooked dinner and we did a little gift exchange.  We even got it together enough to make some doughnuts for Santa.  It has been such a long time since I got a chance to just hang out with the kids and their Yaya, so I enjoyed myself immensely.

On Christmas day, we all stayed home.  I cooked and we invited friends over for a nice dinner.  It was so nice to eat and make merry and enjoy each other’s company.

We got a nice little surprise for the end of the year.  We got four inches of snow the other day.  The forecast said something about a little snow–maybe a half inch or something.  Four inches later we were all out playing in it.  Daphne even got the hang of throwing snowballs.  She even asked me if I would help her make a snowman, but that was when it was really starting to melt.

Daphne wasn’t totally thrilled because she thought it was cold.

Cyprus was happy to enjoy it as long as he got to stay close to me.  It was his first experience in the snow.

Targy thought the snow was amazing.  She enjoyed running around in it so much.  She thought it was her mission to eat every last bit of it.

I fulfilled some lifetime goals this month.  I made marshmallows AND caramels for the first time.  What is better, I put them together and made some Scotch Kisses.  Oh was I one HAPPY mama.

Oh and I got some help with the cleanup.

x

Even though Harney County is in the desert, it isn’t that far away from the forest.  Every year since I can remember, we have gotten Christmas trees from the forest.  It is fun and easy to get a permit to cut your own tree.

This year, the kids and I headed out with my sister and her family to get a tree.

It was a beautiful, sunny day.  It was so nice to be in the snow!

Daphne wasn’t very prepared, and she didn’t have a good time.  From the moment that the snow spilled in over the tops of her shoes, she started to cry.  It got worse and worse until we finally made it back to the truck.  I felt so bad for her.  See the tear?

I got her up on my back and carried her like a monkey.  Look at that nice blue sky and that beautiful pine tree behind us.

Cyprus happily slept the day away in the moby wrap.  His hat kept him nice and warm.

Josh and Noah were cute in the warm sun and the snow.

My sister did the cutting and the hauling.

Eli helped his mom.

They managed to find a very small tree for Daphne to take home and enjoy.

Didn’t they find a great tree?

And Daphne was much happier when we made it back into the truck.

Cyprus even enjoyed himself after he woke up.

I was trying to take a 365 photo.  This is a reject, but the scenery is awesome.

Cyprus was sad to say goodbye to all that snow.

I was invited to take photographs of Julie’s birth.  It wasn’t something that Daphne could help me with.  Due to the unpredictability of birth, Rebecca agreed to he;p take care of Daphne while I was gone so that Jared could work.

It just so happened that Rebecca was working on making tea that day, so Daphne got to help out.

Look at that sweet hand in the tea.

She can be such a great helper.

And she doesn’t even need any help to mix it up.

Here are some more photos I got from my friend.

Look at how sweet Daphne is holding newborn Oliver.  He doesn’t seem to be so happy.

I recently got some photos that a friend took while I was taking care of the goats for another friend.

Isn’t it really cute how Cyprus is on my back and Daphne is holding my hand?

Isn’t that the best look on Daphne’s face.  I love this photo.

Daphne having a go at milking.

I think this is really cute.

Getting ready to head out.

I was pleasantly surprised to get a box addressed to the kids from some friends of Papa Bob.  When I opened the box I almost died of excitement.  They had sent Daphne a handmade sweater!  I thought it was super cute.  I even managed to get a photo of Papa and Daphne together while she was wearing the sweater.

While we were at Auntie’s house, Daphne got a real kick out of spending time on the computer with Eli. They have a Leap Frog learning system, that Daphne thought was cool. She couldn’t navigate around at all, but she thought it was cool to pound on. We have Baby Smash now to handle any computing desires.

I  caught this quick little video of Daphne playing with Rouge the other day.  I think that she is really starting to get the hang of being a big sister.  She made Rouge so happy.